Lens system for color photography

ABSTRACT

The color lens system includes a main objective lens and an annular series of independent color lenses positioned forwardly of the main objective lens; the inner diameter of the annular series of independent color lenses being equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the main objective lens. Prismatic lenses are provided for each color lens, which lenses collect light rays from the object being photographed and direct the light rays to the color lenses, the rays from the color lenses being directed to the main objective lens. The color rays pass through the main objective lens and the focal length of the main objective controls the focal point of the color rays. The color system uses all colors of the spectrum and results in an improved color balance with resultant flatness of field to the edge of the aperture.

D "PG/6 u ultcu UldtCl Tylka, Sr.

LENS SYSTEM FOR COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY John Tylka, Sr., 1865 N. Curson Ave.,Hollywood, Calif. 90046 Filed: July 27, 1970 Appl. No.: 58,541

lnventor:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1933 Goodwin ..350/213 UX11/1947 Goodwin.... .350/195 UX 4/1951 Garutso ..350/l97 Feb. 1, 19722,591,535 4/1952 Garutso ..350/l97 Primary Examiner-John K. CorbinA!rorney-.I. Calvin Brown [57] ABSTRACT The color lens system includes amain objective lens and an annular series of independent color lensespositioned forwardly of the main objective lens; the inner diameter ofthe annular series of independent color lenses being equal to orslightly greater than the diameter of the main objective lens. Prismaticlenses are provided for each color lens, which lenses collect light raysfrom the object being photographed and direct the light rays to thecolor lenses, the rays from the color lenses being directed to the mainobjective lens. The color rays pass through the main objective lens andthe focal length of the main objective controls the focal point of thecolor rays. The color system uses all colors of the spectrum and resultsin an improved color balance with resultant flatness of field to theedge of the aperture.

7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENTEU ill 1 B72 SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG.Q.

INVENTOI} I ST JOHN TYL KA ATTORNEY mammm m2 3339.040

SHEET 2 (IF 2 MARGINAL ZONE STANDARD Zoms 1K 'lllllllllll F, 6. i IINVENTOR JOHN TYI. KA ,Sr BY ATTORNEY BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention Numerous systems are now employed in colorphotography. In most instances color film is used which will take acolored picture without the use of filters of any character. In themajority of cases, the color picture is often hazy and the colorsblurred.

2. Description of the Prior Art So far as the present inventor is aware,there is no prior art adapted to accomplish the same results as thataccomplished by the present invention.

Summary ofthe Invention The camera used in the practice of the presentinvention may be any number of standard makes having a fully correctedmain objective lens and in this regard I do not designate any particularmake of main objective lens as any suitable lens may be used. I providea frustoconical shield or adapter the small base of which is secured tothe front camera panel which panel secures the main objective lens.Within this shield is secured an annular series of lenticular units.Each unit includes a clear optical glass prismatic lens the rear face ofwhich is plane and a planoconvex color lens. The lenticular units arearranged in annular series with the plane face of each color lens and ofeach prismatic lens in angular relationship. The forward face of theprismatic lens is spherically concave. Light rays from the object beingphotographed will pass through each lenticular unit and will be directedby the color lens of each unit toward the main objective lens. The mainobjective lens controls the focal point of the color rays. The colorlenses of each lenticular unit are spectrocolors and include green, redand yellow for three of the lenticular units. Other color lenses may beprovided such as amber, orange, and pastel colors such as light blue,light red or pink, turquoise, and so on. Thus rays from the object beingphotographed are refracted through each prismatic lens to the color lensof each lenticular unit and from the color lens the color rays impingeupon the main objective lens and such color hues are transferred to thefocal plane of the main objective, the color hues being suffusedthroughout the entire picture.

An object of the invention is to increase the depth of field in a colorpicture; to provide flatness of field; to enhance the color ofa colorfilm and to cover full aperture without any falloff of color in thefilm.

Another object is to provide a color system wherein the colors do notbleed and color separation is sharp, and clear in the color picture.

A further object is the provision of a color system for photographywhich by intensifying colors and color separation allows a largeraperture to be used in the camera and still obtain sharp definition ofdifferent objects at a distance as well as those close to the camera.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary side elevationof a camera incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the main objective lens of the camerawith an annular series of lenticular units surrounding the mainobjective lens;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, sheet 2, is a longitudinal sectional view of the main objectivelens and two lenticular units on an enlarged scale illustrating the pathof light rays through the lenticular units and the main objective;

FIG. is a front elevation of the color lenses of the lenticular unitstaken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3, and on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 6, sheet I, is a fragmentary sectional view of one of thelenticular units, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7, shcct 2, is a sectional view of a ring mount for the lenticularunits, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 8, sheet I, is a fragmentary enlarged front elevation, looking inthe direction of the lenticular units and illustrating a means forholding the lenticular units in position within a shield or adapter;and,

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale,illustrating a different position of one element of a lenticular unitfrom that shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A camera of some type isemployed, as shown in FIG. I at l, the camera having a panel 2 whichsupports and receives a lens mount or ring 3. The main objective lens 4is held within the mount 3 and depending upon the type of camera, thelens mount may be adjustable relative to the panel, as shown in FIG. 4,or held in position by an adjusting means for focusing the mainobjective lens upon the object to be photographed. Carried by the panel2 and forwardly of the main objective lens is an adapter 5 constitutinga shield of frustoconical form the small base of which is attached tothe panel 2 with the larger base extending outwardly as shown in FIG. 4.It will be noted upon examining FIG. 4 that the light ray path is notinterferred with in its passage to the main objective lens by theadapter 5. Within the adapter 5 is an annular series oflenticular unitsdesignated generally as 6. The lenticular units form an annulus, asshown in FIG. 2 at 7, and the inner diameter of the annulus does notinterfere with the light ray zone 8 from the object to be photographedby the main objective lens as shown in FIG. 4. Each lenticular unitincludes a prismatic lens 9 and a color lens 10. Each color lens isplanoconvex and the prismatic lens has an inner face 11 which is planeand spherically concave outer face 12. The plane faces of the lens andof the prism are in angular relationship and the two elements of eachlenticular unit are held in position within the adapter 5 by a mountingtube 13. The prismatic lens 9 is ofclear optical glass which may beeither crown or flint. The light rays pass through the prismatic lens 9and are refracted to the color lens 10. The angularity of the planefaces of the prism and the color lens refracts the color light rays tothe main objective lens 4, see FIG. 4 for the ray path at 14. Certain ofthe lenses are of additive primary color and always used, and referenceis had to FIG. 5 in which the color lens at [5 is green, 16 is red, andat 17 is blue. There are nine color lenses shown in FIG. 5, lens 18 isorange, 19 is ruby red, 20 blue green, 21 light green, 22 pink and 23yellow. The additive primaries are used with variations in color hues.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 mastic 30 may be employed to hold thelenticular units in annular formation within the adapter 5.

The prismatic lens of each lenticular unit may be shifted from theshowing of FIG. 6 to that of FIG. 9. It will be observed that thisshifting does not change the angularity between the plane faces of aprismatic lens and of a color lens. The plane faces of the prismaticlens all lie in the same plane. It has been found that the front face ofthe prismatic lens by being spherically concave, appreciably gatherslight rays and directs the rays to the plane face of each color lens.The color rays from each color lens are passed by the main objective tothe focal point of the main objective which suffuses the color huesthroughout the entire picture. The color hues enhance the colors imposedon the focal plane. Each lenticular unit and the components thereof; towit, a color lens and a prismatic lens, have no focal length with theresult that the focal length of a color hue is controlled by the mainobjective lens. This fact permits the main objective to be properlyfocused on the object being photographed without in any mannerdisturbing the color rays or hues transmitted to the focal plane of themain objective lens. It is found that the color hues so transmitted bythe main objective cover the whole aperture and results in a flatness offield to the very edge of the aperture. When color film is used thepresent system and means enhances the colors of the film with the resultthat clear definition and a sharpness in the image results with theobjects photographed clearly defined and separated without any bleedingofthe colors on the film.

In an experiment conducted the area included within the annulus of thelenticular units was covered, the main objective lens facing the coverto receive only color light rays-from the lenticular units. It was foundthat the lenticular units together with the main objective lenstransmitted not only the colors to the focal point of the main objectivelens but that the object towards which the lenticular units was directedshowed an outline of the subject being photographed in color and withoutdistortion of the image. The camera may be used at full aperture withgood results so far as definition and sharpness of image is concerned.Quality objectives for cameras are corrected so that all spectral colorsare in focus on the same plane simultaneously. Hence, an objective socorrected will transmit the color rays from the lenticular units to thesame photographic plane simultaneously and in focus on the same plane.it should also be mentioned, upon examining FIG. 4 that the field ofview of the main objective is not interferred with by the annular seriesof lenticular units and that light reflected from the object has theimage focused by the lens on the photographic plate or film.

It is believed that the operation of the color system and means will beclear from the description as given.

lclaim:

l. A lens system for color photography wherein a camera has a mainobjective lens corrected for all spectral colors whereby said colors arein focus on the same plane simultaneously, the improvement comprising:an annular series of substantially afocal lenticular units positionedforwardly of the main objective, the field of view of said mainobjective being through said annulus, each lenticular unit having acolor lens for receiving the light reflected from the object to bephotographed and color light rays from each color lens being directed tothe main objective.

2. The lens system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each lenticular unitcomprises a clear glass prismatic lens and a planoconvex primary colorlens.

3. The lens system as set forth in claim 2, the front face of eachprismatic lens facing the object to be photographed, the light raysreflected from the object being passed by each prismatic lens to a colorlens, the color light rays from said lens being refracted to the mainobjective.

4. A lens system for color photography wherein a camera has a mainobjective corrected so that all spectral colors are in focus on the sameplane simultaneously, an annular series of independent substantiallyafocal units positioned forwardly of and out of the field of view of themain objective, each lenticular unit including a color lens to directcolored light reflected from the object being photographed to said mainobjective.

5. The lens system set forth in claim 4, characterized in: that eachcolor lens is a primary color.

6. The combination with the main objective of a camera of an annularseries of substantially afocal lenticular units positioned forwardly of,and out of the field of view of, the main objective, each lenticularunit comprising a clear prismatic lens and a planoconvex color lens, thefront face of each prismatic lens being concave and facing the object tobe photographed and the rear face of said prismatic lens being plane,the plane faces of each color lens and the plane faces of each prismaticlens being at an angle whereby light reflected from the object to bephotographed is passed through the prismatic lens to the plane face ofthe planoconvex lens and directed to the main objective, the mainobjective directing the color rays of light from said color lenses tothe focal point of the main objective.

7. The lens system as set forth in claim 6; and a shield surrounding andinterposed between the main objective and the annular seriesoflenticular units.

1. A lens system for color photography wherein a camera has a mainobjective lens corrected for all spectral colors whereby said colors arein focus on the same plane simultaneously, the improvement comprising:an annular series of substantially afocal lenticular units positionedforwardly of the main objective, the field of view of said mainobjective being through said annulus, each lenticular unit having acolor lens for receiving the light reflected from the object to bephotographed and color light rays from each color lens being directed tothe main objective.
 2. The lens system as set forth in claim 1, whereineach lenticular unit comprises a clear glass prismatic lens and aplanoconvex primary color lens.
 3. The lens system as set forth in claim2, the front face of each prismatic lens facing the object to bephotographed, the light rays reflected from the object being passed byeach prismatic lens to a color lens, the color light rays from said lensbeing refracted to the main objective.
 4. A lens system for colorphotography wherein a camera has a main objective corrected so that allspectral coLors are in focus on the same plane simultaneously, anannular series of independent substantially afocal units positionedforwardly of and out of the field of view of the main objective, eachlenticular unit including a color lens to direct colored light reflectedfrom the object being photographed to said main objective.
 5. The lenssystem set forth in claim 4, characterized in: that each color lens is aprimary color.
 6. The combination with the main objective of a camera ofan annular series of substantially afocal lenticular units positionedforwardly of, and out of the field of view of, the main objective, eachlenticular unit comprising a clear prismatic lens and a planoconvexcolor lens, the front face of each prismatic lens being concave andfacing the object to be photographed and the rear face of said prismaticlens being plane, the plane faces of each color lens and the plane facesof each prismatic lens being at an angle whereby light reflected fromthe object to be photographed is passed through the prismatic lens tothe plane face of the planoconvex lens and directed to the mainobjective, the main objective directing the color rays of light fromsaid color lenses to the focal point of the main objective.
 7. The lenssystem as set forth in claim 6; and a shield surrounding and interposedbetween the main objective and the annular series of lenticular units.